The Penguin Book of Lesbian Short StoriesMargaret Reynolds And more than that - sometimes women love women. Like Queen Victoria, the world has preferred to believe that sex between women is impossible, resulting in a long silence between the writings of Sappho and the flowering of talent produced by feminism and the sexual revolution. Lesbian writing has come a long way since Virginia Woolf's famous essay of 1928. Since then women have challenged traditional forms of expression and subject matter in an extraordinarily rich and varied discourse to give voice to the lesbian imagination. In this wide-ranging anthology, Margaret Reynolds has brought together the work of thirty-two women from Britain, continental Europe, and the Americas - including three specially commissioned pieces - that covers nearly a century of lesbian writing, from Sarah Orne Jewett (1897) to Jeanette Winterson (1993). The collection ranges from Frances Gapper's pastiche of a Romantic melodrama, through the wry humor of Merril Mushroom's description of butch and femme courting rituals, to the wit of Alison Bechdel's cartoon strip. The anxiety of unresolved desire is present in many stories - Radclyffe Hall's Miss Ogilvy is unable truly to find herself in this world, Djuna and Lillian hold back from each other in Anais Nin's "Cities of the Interior, " and the energy and commitment that should go into a loving relationship are stifled by convention in Jane Rule's story of passion outside marriage. But here are brave spirits, too - Renee Vivien's Sarolta and her Prince(ss) live forever in a vision of ideal tenderness, Colette's heroines preserve the sanctity of their little white bed, and Jewelle Gomez's bulldagger society survives far from the haunts of men. There arecoming-out stories, stories about cross-dressing, vampire tales, science fiction, parody, and romance. Each story is quite different from the others, yet each acknowledges a particular facet of lesbian history and makes it real. |
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Page 124
... felt she could not wear all these things and walk away , freely . She felt that with the gifts , a golden spider wove a golden web of possession . Lillian was not only giving away objects , but golden threads woven out of her very own ...
... felt she could not wear all these things and walk away , freely . She felt that with the gifts , a golden spider wove a golden web of possession . Lillian was not only giving away objects , but golden threads woven out of her very own ...
Page 131
... felt his great choking anguish I discovered one relief , and that was action . I felt like the women who had to sit and wait at home while there was a war going on . I felt if only I could join the war , participate , I wouldn't feel ...
... felt his great choking anguish I discovered one relief , and that was action . I felt like the women who had to sit and wait at home while there was a war going on . I felt if only I could join the war , participate , I wouldn't feel ...
Page 223
... felt ashamed . I felt ashamed . I wanted to say , ' I didn't mean , none of us meant - ' After the coffee was cleaned up , things were quieter . You liked it more . You don't like conversation at breakfast and you never liked it if ...
... felt ashamed . I felt ashamed . I wanted to say , ' I didn't mean , none of us meant - ' After the coffee was cleaned up , things were quieter . You liked it more . You don't like conversation at breakfast and you never liked it if ...
Contents
SARAH ORNE JEWETT Marthas Lady 1897 I | 1 |
RENÉE VIVIEN Prince Charming 1904 translated | 20 |
The Wise Sappho c 191618 | 26 |
Copyright | |
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Adrienne Rich Alison Bechdel arms asked beautiful Beebo blood body breasts butch butch and femme Charlotte Mews dance dark daughter Delia Djuna Djuna Barnes door Dorothy Allison dress Emma Donoghue eyes face feel felt fingers friends Georgine Skeene girl hair hand head heard heart Helen Furr Helena husband Iduna JAYNE ANNE PHILLIPS JEANETTE WINTERSON KATHY ACKER Kerry kissed knew lady laughed Laura leaned legs lesbian Letty light Lillian lips living Lizzy looked lover Marcie Margaret Martha Miss Ogilvy Miss Pyne Mistress Mary mother mouth never NICOLE BROSSARD night Ogilvy's Picasso Renée Vivien Sappho seemed sleep smiled soft someone stay stood story sweet talk tell things thought told took turned voice wait walked watch wheat roll window woman women words writing young